Black Lacquer with Snow White bands that vary in width and never run parallel for long.
3 bottles: Black Lacquer, Snow White and Antique Gold. Black Lacquer against Snow White is a hard contrast, so the motif reads from across a room, and any wobble in the line reads with it. The bottles are not all the same finish (crème and chrome), so the pattern picks up light differently from the ground.
On a squoval the design has real width to work across, and the rounded corners are what stop the straight walls catching on things.
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How to paint Black Lacquer Zebra nails
- 1 Buff, dehydrate and base coat, then cure. Two coats of Black Lacquer. A dark base shows every ridge, so the ridge-filling base coat matters more than usual here.
- 2 Draw each Snow White stripe from thick to thin in one stroke, varying the widths as you go.
- 3 Gloss top coat, cure, then cuticle oil once it is out of the lamp.
Questions about Black Lacquer Zebra
Is Black Lacquer Zebra hard to do at home?
Yes, with a steady hand. The motif is freehand, so the first nail is usually the worst one. Budget around 45 minutes for a full set, and three colours means three chances for something to bleed, so cure between each one rather than working wet on wet.
What polish do I need for Black Lacquer Zebra?
3 bottles: Black Lacquer (crème), Snow White (crème) and Antique Gold (chrome). Plus a base coat and a gloss top coat, which every design here assumes you already have.
Does Black Lacquer Zebra work on short nails?
A squoval works short: you lose canvas width rather than length, so the motif just sits closer together.
Do I need a UV lamp for Black Lacquer Zebra?
Yes. Antique Gold only works as a gel — the effect depends on rubbing or setting the finish into a cured tacky layer, which air-dry polish never gives you.